That Dirty Water
by DiehardJavaJunkie14
Summary: Lorelai wins a prize at a DAR event. The first person she thinks to share it with is Luke. JavaJunkie, set before LL get together. Title is a reference to the song Dirty Water, which is played at Fenway Park after each Red Sox win.
1. And the Winner Is

"And the winner of the Grand Prize is…"

Lorelai absolutely hated these stupid DAR functions. She never won a single raffle. She always bought tickets as a conversation piece, and to make her mother happy, but she wanted something to show for all of the times she had entered. All of the baskets were wrapped in that clear shiny plastic with perfect looking bows and lots of goodies inside. There was always the spa basket to try for, but a woman who looked like she had no idea what an esthetician was had already been proclaimed the winner of the basket.

She looked around the room at the people her mother associated with. She felt out of place, as if she weren't even there. Every time she attempted to have a conversation with someone, they would look at her as if she were incompetent to be standing near them. They sat around, drinking tea, eating their crumpets, or whatever the heck those weird pastry things were, and gossiping about people she didn't even know.

"Lorelai Gilmore! Ticket number 018765!"

Lorelai snapped out of her people-watching to comprehend what just happened.

"Lorelai! You won the Grand Prize! You need to go claim it!" Emily said, leaning toward Lorelai as she clapped with the rest of her friends.

Figures. The one time she has no idea what the Grand Prize was, and the one time she frankly just didn't care, she won. She went up to the stage and claimed her prize. It was a basket accompanied by an envelope. Lorelai politely thanked the woman who presented it to her, gave a quick curtsy and a smile to the DAR women, and made her graceful exit to the Crap Shack.

After all, she was only required to stay until the raffles were finished. Emily had told her so several times. Lorelai had just decided to take her up on that suggestion. Trying to juggle the basket, the envelope, and the keys to the front door proved difficult. Lorelai wasn't going to put the basket down on the porch, it was just too pretty, and perfect. Maybe she wouldn't even open it up… it looked so spotless. Besides, someone had worked hard to put that basket together, and it was unfortunate that she ended up winning it.

Lorelai placed the basket on the table and opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, which Lorelai guessed contained the stipulations and the explanation of the prize, as if it weren't self-explanatory. The paper turned out to be a list, typed in a large red font, of the contents of the envelope and the basket. The list read:

1. Plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and itinerary

2. Two (2) tickets to the Red Sox-Yankees game at Fenway Park, August 4th (Green Monster seats)

3. Baseball signed by David Ortiz

4. His and hers Red Sox jerseys and caps

5. Fenway Park tour tickets

Lorelai was stunned. The one time she won something, she won a basket for the Red Sox, which Lorelai assumed was the baseball team Luke liked by the baseball signed by some guy she didn't know. That was a really great idea, she could give Luke the tickets! Or better yet, she could tag along and annoy Luke! Baseball wasn't her thing, but she would never miss an opportunity to bother Luke! That would just be sinful. And besides, she had heard someone at the DAR function say that Fenway Park had no healthy food. That was a plus. Seeing Luke eat junk food, and the prospect of eating lots of junk food herself was all too enticing.

She picked up the still unopened basket and made her way to the diner.


	2. What Are You Doing July 24th?

Lorelai gracefully carried the cumbersome basket, without dropping it, to Luke's. She was excited to see his reaction. She knew Luke loved the Red Sox, but she didn't know if he had ever been to a game. As she (creatively) opened the front door, she looked at the empty diner, curious if Luke was even around. Sure enough, he was, counting money at the register.

"Hey, Luke," Lorelai said, placing the basket in front of her on the table. She put her chin in her hand and leaned over to look at Luke from the side of the basket.

"Hey. What's this basket doing here, and why are you wearing a DAR pin?" Luke asked.

Lorelai gasped and felt her blazer, searching for the pin she had meant to throw away as soon as she got home. She couldn't have just refused to wear it, but forgetting to take it off was worse. She quickly removed the pin from her jacket and handed it to Luke. "Burn this for me, will you?" she asked.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll get right on that," he said sarcastically. He grabbed a coffee mug from the back counter and filled it for Lorelai. He placed the mug by Lorelai's elbow, and upon realizing the danger of that location, moved it to the other side of the basket. "What's this doing here?" he asked, pointing to the still wrapped basket.

"What are you doing on July 24th?" Lorelai inquired, reaching around the basket to take a sip of coffee.

"Jeez, Lorelai, I don't know. Let me take out my invisible blackberry and find out," Luke grunted.

Lorelai pouted. "Really, Luke. This is important."

"Does it have to do with what's in this basket?"

Lorelai smiled. "Yes, it does. You're going to love it. See, I was roped into another charity event for the DAR, and I entered the raffle. And this is what I won."

Luke walked to the door of the diner and locked it. "Is it a spa basket? Because I really am not an exfoliating kind of guy."

Lorelai giggled. "No, it's not the spa basket. Some other lady won that. It's an amazing prize, are you ready for this?"

"Jeez, Lorelai, just tell me."

"Tickets to a Red Sox-Yankees game. At Fenway Park. Aren't you proud I got the names right? I've been practicing," Lorelai beamed.

Luke stopped in his tracks. "You won tickets to a Yankee game? At Fenway?"

Lorelai nodded. "And in this basket, we have all the stuff we need. Tickets, hats, jerseys, you name it, they put it in here. And there's a ball that someone wrote on…"

"Aren't you going to open it?" Luke pressed.

Lorelai tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shrugged. "Well, I was kind of hoping not to quite yet, because it's just too pretty."

"You're going to open the basket to get the tickets, right? And who are you bringing?"

Lorelai sighed. "Oh, Luke. Didn't you get the context of my words before? I said "we," not "I," and besides, I'd love to take you. I couldn't think of anyone else I could share it with and have a better time."

"Rory?" Luke asked.

"She hates baseball. So are you coming, or what? July 24th. We'll stay over until the 25th, and we'll eat hot dogs and drink beer and shout at the referees…"

"Umpires," Luke corrected.

"Yeah, them. And then we'll make friends with the drunk guys in the bleachers…"

"Lorelai," Luke interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I'd love to go."

"REALLY? Oh, it's going to be great… we'll have so much fun. And I'll even try to learn the people's names and stuff."

"Lorelai, you don't have to do that, it's not a really big thing. I know you're doing something nice for me, and that doesn't mean you have to love the team or anything," Luke insisted.

Lorelai moved the basket so she didn't have to lean over to see Luke anymore. She gently untied the ribbon and pushed the plastic away from the bag. "Well, then, here's your ticket," she said, handing him a ticket from the envelope.

"We're sitting on the Green Monster," Luke declared.

Lorelai noticed Luke's enthusiasm toward the Red Sox, and the whole idea of going to a game. It was nice that he was happy. That was Lorelai's main goal. "So, Luke, you really love those Red Sox, huh?" she asked, sipping the last few drops of her coffee.

Luke shrugged. "Well, it's something that's been a family tradition for a long time," he said. "I got it from my dad."

Lorelai smiled. "That's so nice. Did you two ever go to a game or anything like that?"

Luke headed toward the stairs of his apartment. "Come on upstairs. I have some stuff to show you."

Lorelai was extremely confused. She knew Luke was a Red Sox fan, but apparently it ran deeper than that. It was something that meant a lot to Luke, and his dad. The Red Sox were a part of Luke, and Lorelai was very rarely educated on Luke, his past, and his loves in life. She grabbed the basket and followed closely behind, finding herself wanting to learn more about the game that she previously had no interest in.


	3. The Curse of the Bambino

Luke held the door open for Lorelai as she made her way up the stairs to Luke's apartment. She put the basket down on the table and stood watching as Luke shuffled through some cabinets and closets, obviously looking for something. Lorelai had a notion it was some Red Sox memory, but when Luke pulled out an old, tattered box from the closet she knew she was in for a few stories.

"Have a seat," Luke said as he pulled out a chair of his own.

Lorelai obliged, and dragged her chair next to Luke's to get a better view of what was inside the box. She sat patiently as Luke searched for something to start off the explanation. Luke seemed to search forever until he found the perfect item to show Lorelai first.

"This is a picture of me and my father at Fenway. I don't remember how old I was. Maybe I was about seven," Luke said, handing the picture to Lorelai.

She took the picture and stared at it, trying to absorb the perfect shot. Luke was smiling (one of his front teeth was missing), holding up an autographed baseball while William Danes looked on proudly. When she noticed that Luke had his baseball cap on backwards in the picture, she let out a slight giggle.

"That's a nice picture," she said, trying to prevent a giggling outburst in a serious moment such as this.

"Yeah. My dad used to take me to games all the time, until he passed away. I haven't been since. It was something I shared with him. It's pretty much in my blood," Luke replied. He took the picture back and handed Lorelai a baseball.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a game-used baseball. I caught it, actually. One of my favorite Red Sox players hit a home run. That means when he hit the ball, it went into the seats. I happened to bring my mitt, and I caught it. My dad was ready to block me from getting hit with it, but I didn't need the help, apparently. I took that ball with me everywhere, showing everyone, for the longest time."

Lorelai inspected the dilapidated ball. She wanted to ask who his favorite player was, but she couldn't react properly… she didn't know the players. Something so simple, like that baseball, seemed to have so much meaning to Luke. Of course, to Luke, it was a prized possession. Lorelai wouldn't be able to tell if it were a game used baseball. That was Luke's passion, his true love in life. Baseball was more than a sport, or a game, or something to watch on TV. It was a way for Luke to feel close to his father.

"This is the hat I used to wear to all the games. Well, I actually wore it everywhere, until it didn't fit me anymore. I figured it would be something nice to save. I don't know why I saved it, but I did. I can probably tell you what every stain on that hat was from, or how the hat got so torn," Luke said, holding the old cap by its brim.

Lorelai took the cap and analyzed it. The blue hat with the red "B" on the front was fraying at the front, and had holes in the side. There was a yellow stain on the top, from what Lorelai assumed was mustard. How the mustard got on the top, she wasn't exactly sure, but Luke could tell her anytime. She turned the hat over and inside, just under the hat's brim, Luke had written his name. It was obvious Luke was young when he did so. Lorelai was melted by the child-like handwriting on the hat. Luke had been a fan since he was tiny. It touched Lorelai to be able to listen to Luke's stories.

"And this is my collection of baseball cards. Uncle Louie got me my first package of baseball cards. Then I spent pretty much all my money on a new package of baseball cards every week. I was the master at trading them, too. I remember I made a deal one time to get Carlton Fisk's card for the Impossible Dream year. The kid I made the deal with had no idea how important that card was, but he jumped all over the idea of me trading all of my repeat cards for that one card. That was a stupid deal." Luke pulled out stacks and stacks of baseball cards from the box.

"Oh, Luke, this is all so nice. You really do have this connection with the Red Sox. It's unbelievable how interesting this stuff is," Lorelai gushed.

Luke shot Lorelai a look. "You don't have to fake it, Lorelai."

"No, Luke, that really wasn't sarcastic. That was the honest truth. I just wish I knew what it all meant. It's something you love, Luke. You take the time to try and appreciate what I love. I mean, you don't get my love for coffee, but you supply it to me anyway," Lorelai explained.

"That's because you would probably physically hurt me if I didn't."

Lorelai sidestepped that comment. "What's all that? The newspaper clippings and stuff?" she asked, pointing in the box.

Luke pulled them out of the box. "Articles I saved, you know, pictures and stuff like that."

"Can I see them?" Lorelai pleaded.

Luke sighed and handed Lorelai the pile of newspaper clippings. Lorelai expected to see pictures of Red Sox players, and headlines about some player she didn't know. But one headline in particular caught her eye. It read, "DANES DOES IT AGAIN FOR STARS HOLLOW!" Lorelai squealed as she pulled out the article accompanying the headline.

"Luke! I knew you were good, but man, every headline in here is about you! That must have been so cool," Lorelai said. "And is that Crazy Carrie in the background in this picture?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, she was my high school stalker."

Lorelai sorted through the papers. There were so many pictures, articles, and stories about Luke Danes, Stars Hollow's own baseball prodigy. "If you were so good, why didn't you play baseball? I mean, wow, Luke. You could have been on the Red Sox!"

Luke sighed. "Well, technically, I did go pro for a little while. I was drafted. I played one game for the Red Sox minor leagues, and I blew out my elbow when I was pitching. That was the end of it," Luke admitted.

Lorelai saw the disappointed look on Luke's face. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Luke. I didn't know," she apologized.

Luke shook his head. "No one knows. I don't think Taylor even knows. It was something I was proud of, and then it was pretty much ruined because of the whole elbow thing. I just haven't shared the information with anyone. Just don't go blabbing it around to everyone, okay?"

Lorelai nodded. "I promise."

"So this is my box full of baseball stuff," Luke said, handing Lorelai the box.

"Thanks for sharing that with me. Oh, you know what? I have something you might want to add to this box," Lorelai said, running toward the basket. She pulled out the autographed baseball and handed it to Luke. "It's signed by…" Lorelai pulled the basket description out of her pocket. "David Ortiz. Is he any good?"

Luke turned the ball around in his hands, trying to find the autograph. "Everyone says that this season is going to be his breakout season. But then again everyone says that 2004 is 'the year,' and that this season is going to be the one where we break the curse."

"The curse? What curse? Explain this curse, I didn't know baseball had curses," Lorelai asked, intrigued.

"It's not a good curse, Lorelai. In 1918, there was a player on the Red Sox named Babe Ruth. You would have liked him, legend has it he used to eat a lot of hot dogs," Luke started.

"Like him already, go on."

"Then, the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. They basically gave up their best player. People say that there was a curse put on the Red Sox, saying they would never win another World Series… the World Series is to baseball what beating Kirk in the Dance Competition is to you," Luke explained.

"Oh, I get it," Lorelai nodded.

"And they haven't won since. It's called the Curse of the Bambino. We don't win, but the Yankees win all the time. We hate the Yankees, by the way. So it's been almost 86 years since the Red Sox have won," Luke said.

"Wow. Intense. I want to learn more," Lorelai said.

"You do?" Luke asked, shocked.

"I want to know who all our players are, and how good they are, so I know who to yell at during the game. How many days do we have to learn it all?" Lorelai fired question after question at Luke, interested to begin learning.

"We have a week," Luke said.

"How much can I learn in a week?" Lorelai asked. "I want to be cool when I go to the baseball game, I don't want to be one of those people who just goes because they have nothing better to do and they have no idea what's going on. I want it to mean something to me, because it means something to my friend Luke Danes. Please, Luke? Teach me! I want to learn, I'll even have Rory help me!"

Luke sighed. "Well, when can you start? I guess I can help you out, but don't flake out on me."

"Oh, I promise. I will not flake out on you. Is there some sort of baseball promise, or an oath I can take?" Lorelai asked.

"No, your word is enough. But the minute you whine about it, I'm not helping you anymore, and you'll be the Fenway reject you speak of so very highly," Luke insisted.

"I promise! Well, then, I will see you tomorrow. Bright and early. Nine sharp, in the diner."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Nine isn't early."

"For me it is, and besides, I have to get some rest so my brain can make room for all the stuff I'm going to learn," Lorelai insisted.

"See you tomorrow, then," Luke said.

"Bye, Luke. Thanks for doing this."

"Bye, Lorelai, and thank you for the ticket."

"Of course, Luke," Lorelai replied. She couldn't wait to get started.


	4. Google

Lorelai sat at the counter the next morning, analyzing the diagram Luke made for her to study. It was a picture of a simple baseball diamond, with the positions of the players written in their designated spaces. Simple as it was to Luke, it was just as foreign to Lorelai. Why was there a guy off to the side with the letters "DH" next to him, and why were there two diagrams of the same thing, but one without the random, off to the side guy? It was a mystery to Lorelai.

She sipped her coffee, giving an honest effort and attempting to learn the player positions. But something just wasn't coming for her. She flipped the paper over and moaned in self-pity, putting her head down on the diagram.

"What's the problem?" Luke asked.

Lorelai moaned louder. "Problem? Try problems. Plural. First, there is no decoding key, so I don't know what "DH" stands for. Second, there are two diagrams, but they are slightly different. I don't know what the difference is. Finally, I'll forget it all come next week!"

Luke grunted. "I knew you'd flake out on me. You swore you wouldn't but it's impossible."

Lorelai pouted. "Another chance, Luke? Just pity me a little. Humor me and give me a decoding device so I can try to figure out what the heck is going on here?"

Luke took a napkin and began writing on it. He handed it to Lorelai, who smiled and spread the napkin out in front of her, trying again to learn the locations of the bases. Now that she had her key, she would be all set.

"Designated hitter? Luke? Oh Luke, what's a designated hitter?" Lorelai called, twisting to make eye contact.

"Lorelai, look, just try to remember what the positions are, and then I'll explain what they do. Got it?"

Lorelai groaned. "Luke! Do you want to be seen at the ballpark with a woman who has no knowledge of sports, whatsoever, and be totally and completely embarrassed? I really don't think you do. I don't think you'd appreciate your friend cheering for the opposite team, especially those darn… wait, who are we playing again?"

"The Yankees. It's the New York Yankees, Lorelai."

"Yeah, you wouldn't appreciate me cheering for them."

Luke rolled his eyes. "No, Lorelai, I wouldn't. But in order to prevent the non Red Sox related cheering, you have to learn the player positions so I can explain the rest of the game to you. Then, you will be able to tell when to cheer, when to stand, when to throw your hat on the ground in frustration… and when to brace yourself for them to break your heart."

Lorelai turned around to face Luke. "The Red Sox break your heart?"

Luke sighed. "Look, Lorelai, whenever they screw up, they royally screw up. It's humanly impossible for them to catch a break, on anything. And it's all because of Babe Ruth."

"Oh, so they've caused you a lot of heartache, huh? Kind of like me and my love life… no Dear Abby can fix that," Lorelai giggled.

She turned around again and attempted to study some more. If she crammed enough to pass her business class, she could cram enough to get through a few days in Boston. She took another sip of coffee, rubbed her temples and sighed as she repeated the meaningless letters in her head.

Lorelai had just gotten the infield down when she realized that she had to leave for work, and fast, because she was just about to be late enough to miss out on Sookie's newest menu idea. She walked toward the front desk, shoving the clutter on it aside, and put her pieces of paper side by side, resting her chin in her hand as she studied.

"What on Earth are you looking at?" Michel barked from behind her.

"It's a baseball diamond. I'm learning where each player stands and what their job is so I can be smart when I go to the Red Sox game next week," Lorelai said, without looking up.

"It looks like something a kindergarten child drew with his eyes closed."

"That's not the point, Michel. I'm trying to learn something so I can make Luke happy. This is for Luke, not for anyone else… for Luke." Lorelai interrupted.

Michel rolled his eyes. "I haven't the slightest idea why you are attempting to do something for grumpy diner man. He hasn't tried to learn anything about you, has he?"

Lorelai stood up. "For your information, Michel, he has. He's tried to understand me, and Rory, for the past… a lot of years. Since we first met him, he has been really, really good to us. He's done a lot of things that he didn't have to do, but did anyway because he cared about us. Now, I am attempting to return the favor, but all I hear is an annoying French man babbling behind me. If you'll excuse me, I have to do some research on what a "designated hitter" is."

Michel backed away, unable to comment, and seemingly pitying himself for the tongue-lashing he just got from Lorelai. As she watched him step back, Lorelai tried to comprehend the entire tirade she just gave Michel. She had just defended Luke, and vigorously.

After Lorelai mastered the positions of the baseball diamond, she looked up, checking to make sure no one was in need of assistance, and logged on to the Red Sox web site. She decided she was going to impress Luke, and she was going to learn which Red Sox player played each position. This was payback for all the times he went above and beyond for her and Rory.

Lorelai grabbed a ruler and made a new, more organized (and colorful) baseball diamond. She colored the grass green, and the dirt brown. She left the bases white and drew a bright yellow foul pole exactly as the picture showed. She took a black sharpie and wrote in the names of the players next to their respective positions.

"Wow, there's a lot more than ten names here," Lorelai thought out loud as she tried to place the appropriate names in the appropriate spaces. "Jason Varitek… catcher… catcher is behind home plate, so there's Jason. Wait, how is Doug

Mirabelli catcher if Jason Varitek is catcher? Which one goes behind home plate?"

Just then Lorelai's cell phone began to ring. She fumbled for it in her purse and analyzed her diagram at the same time.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, mom! Listen, Paris is really getting on my last nerve right now, do you have a minute to tell me an amusing story, or do a bit, or something? I need my spirits lifted," Rory said from the other line.

"I'm no Charlie Chaplain, but I'll sure try. So, I was at the DAR thing the other night…"

Rory gasped. "Oh, yeah, that's right! How did that go? Did you finally win the makeover basket?"

Lorelai sighed. "No, but I did win the Grand Prize, which has given me a whole new outlook on Luke Danes."

"You're going to have to explain that one," Rory suggested.

"Well, kid, I won tickets to a Red Sox game. And a whole bunch of other stuff I didn't know what to do with. So, I brought it all to Luke. And he totally opened up to me, telling me all about his past, and his dad, and all sorts of other stuff no one really knows. So I'm taking him to a game next week, and I promised him I'd learn about baseball for him."

"Wow, Mom, that's really nice of you. He must appreciate that, even though he won't admit it," Rory replied.

Lorelai smiled. "Yeah, I mean, after all he's done for us, can't I do something for him? And besides, its kind of sweet, seeing Luke become passionate over something. That's really rare. Anyway, I have a question for you. If there are two catchers, and I have to pick one, how do I eliminate? By number, or by hotness factor?"

"Well, when you go to the game, don't you want to know who's played more games? One guy might be a backup in case the other gets hurt." 

"This is why Rory Gilmore is so smart. And funny, the hotter one is the guy with more games played."

"Works both ways, then," Rory giggled.

"Absolutely, my friend. Hey, listen, what should I pack for the trip? I don't know what the weather is like in Boston."

"Mom, the weather in Boston is the same as it is here, just pack what you would normally wear. And besides, it's not like Boston is a city without shopping. They have this place called Newbury Street that I've heard is really good. And make sure you hit the restaurants in the North End, they're the best. And Faneuil Hall definitely has some good stuff, too."

"What are you, a walking travel guide?"

"Google is my best friend. He and I have had some wonderful times together, and we kind of have an understanding. He helps me out a lot. He'd be happy to do the same for you, mom."

"Who's to say Google isn't a girl?" Lorelai said, pencilling in 'Jason Varitek' behind home plate on her diagram.

"Who knows. I think Google is unisex, so I just used the male pronoun. If Google was a country, I think I'd use 'she', as I would if Google was a ship!" Rory teased.

"Too much for my brain to handle right now. Wow, this guy is very hairy."

"Mom? I am so confused right now," Rory said.

"Me too. I hope I helped cure the Paris headache," Lorelai said.

"You did. Now you've gotten me on a Googling frenzy. I'll send you any good sites I find about Boston. Maybe you can do up a little itinerary for Luke. He'd like that," Rory suggested.

"Again, your intelligence is thoroughly admirable. I'll talk to you later, sweets."

"Thanks Mom," Rory said.

Lorelai continued to place the players in their proper spaces on the imaginary baseball diamond when she got a brilliant idea.


	5. Suitcases and Freud

**A/N: So a lot of you have been telling me that Lorelai is a little OOC in this story. I'll try to do her justice a little bit better, as I pride myself on how I channel my idol. In writing it, I didn't notice the OOC-ness, actually, I was going for a sensitive-yet-witty side, and she's definitely trying to please Luke. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. See how this does for you, let me know.**

"Lorelai, are you almost ready? We have to be at the airport in an hour," Luke called from downstairs.

Lorelai continued to shove tops into her already full suitcase. "I'll be down in just a minute, I'm just shutting my suitcase!" Lorelai replied.

She sat on top of the suitcase, trying to zip it shut. Just as the suitcase was almost finished, her phone rang. Lorelai attempted to stay on the suitcase and reach for the ringing phone at the same time. It just wasn't working. She got off the suitcase and answered the phone.

"Hello?" Lorelai answered, out of breath.

Rory giggled. "Mom, what have you been doing, going for a jog? You're practically gasping for air."

"Well, I didn't know suitcases were secretly mechanical bulls, disguised as suitcases, trying to throw women going on vacation off of them!" Lorelai replied, attempting once again to pull the zipper shut.

"Huh?" Rory asked.

"I can't shut my suitcase. I've tried and tried, but I just can't. And it is humanly impossible to eliminate anything from the suitcase. I've tried, but nothing in here is able to be left behind."

"Mom, really, let's go through the suitcase now. What's so bulky in there that you can't seem to shut it?" Rory asked, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Well, I have to have my 'Baseball for Dummies' book. That's a definite necessity. Except the book is kind of derogatory in a way, who's to say that I'm a dummy? Maybe I just don't care about baseball unless it's for Luke. Hey, did you know that the general manager of the Red Sox… his name is Theo Epstein, he's kind of cute, was the editor of the Yale Daily News?" Lorelai pondered.

"Mom, focus. How many pairs of shoes did you pack?"

Lorelai moved off of the top of the suitcase. "Well, there's the pair of red heels, the black heels, the pink heels, my white wedge heeled sandals, the pink wedge heeled sandals, the slippers… are slippers shoes?"

"Hmmm-mm. Too many pairs of shoes. You might want to consider three… okay, four, essential pairs. One pair of heels, a pair of flip flops that doesn't hurt your feet, a pair of sneakers or similar shoes to walk in, and slippers. That way, you have shoes to look really cute in for the daytime, but you can blow Luke away with your sexy night look," Rory suggested.

Lorelai laughed. "Yeah, like Luke would really be impressed by that. Should I bring my pink wedge sandals, or my pink heels?"

"Mom, close your eyes and point. You don't have a lot of time," Rory insisted.

Lorelai closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, I pick… you!" she pointed to her black heels. "Eh, good enough, I guess. Perfect for any occasion."

"Can you shut your suitcase now?" Rory asked.

Lorelai tried to pull the zipper shut. "Nope. He won't budge."

"How about if you take out a sweater? Buy a Red Sox sweatshirt once you get there, make Luke think you care," Rory suggested.

Lorelai pulled a sweater out of the suitcase. "You're genius. Everything fits now! Again, have I told you that your IQ level is very impressive?"

"About six times since we've started talking," Rory answered. "Remember: make him think you're loving this baseball thing. Do as he does."

Lorelai paused for a moment. "You know, Rory, I'm actually really excited about this," she admitted. "I kind of like baseball."

"You like baseball? Or do you like Luke?"

Lorelai gasped. "You think I like Luke? Is that why you made the comment about my night attire?"

"Well, you have been trying to memorize all 25 guys on the roster. And their numbers, and their statistics. Who else would you do it for?" Rory asked.

Lorelai started to drag the suitcase off of the bed. "Ah, if you liked baseball, I'd do it for you…"

"Mom, come on! You know you like Luke, and that's why you're doing all of this for him. You're trying to let him know, subconsciously. And we can't forget that dream..."

"Thank you, Freud, you can get back to writing some more of your extremely absurd theories now," Lorelai shot back.

"I bet you five bucks that when you get back from Boston, you'll agree with me," Rory insisted. "And why else would you still be going through on your brilliant plan?"

"Hey, that's where I draw the line. Do not mock my plan. Everyone wants their name on the scoreboard! It would be so awesome!"

"But from what I understand, he can't even see the scoreboard from the Green Monster," Rory said.

Lorelai sighed, crestfallen that her plan wasn't working. "Oh, no! That's so disappointing! It even said 'I Love Luke Danes' and it was going to be all flashy and stuff."

"Did it really say 'I Love Luke Danes'? If so, you owe me money," Rory insisted.

"No, I was kidding. It just said "Welcome to Fenway" or something really weird like that. I figured he'd like it!" Lorelai said.

"Well, Mom, call me when you get there, and have fun. I have a class to get to."

Lorelai sighed. "You're leaving me with Mr. Monosyllables?"

"You're the one that invited him, I have no sympathy for you, goodbye," Rory said, hanging up the phone.

Lorelai threw the phone down on the bed and dragged the suitcase downstairs.

"Do you need some help with that?" Luke asked, grimacing with every thump the suitcase made.

Lorelai shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. All right, I'm ready. Let's go! We're off to see the Wizard!"

Luke took Lorelai's bag as she rambled. "The Wizard? Lorelai, we're not going to the emerald city, you know," he said.

Lorelai shrugged. "Yeah, I know, we're going to Beantown. Hey, can we get some beans while we're there? I just want to see what all the hype is about. Ooh! And we need to go to Quincy Market. Rory says so. And she says we have to eat in the North End. Apparently they have excellent pizza."

Luke put Lorelai's bags in his truck and the two drove to the airport. "I wouldn't be surprised if airport security stops you because they think your bag is full of contraband," he said, lifting her bag out of the trunk.

"Ha, yeah, you're really funny, Luke. Quiz me on the player's numbers. I know them today, I swear," Lorelai insisted, taking the focus off of her bag.

Luke sighed. "Johnny Damon."

Lorelai jumped. "Ooh! He's the hairy one. Center field, number… 16?"

"18," Luke replied.

"So close."

"Trot Nixon. That's one you've been screwing up since I first started quizzing you," Luke said.

"Number 7, right field! Yes! I got it!" Lorelai said, smiling.

Lorelai handed the tickets to the woman at the gate and they found a spot on the plane. "You know, I really don't know why we have to fly from here to Boston… we could have just… you know, taken a camel, or a donkey, like they did in the good old days," Lorelai teased.

"Bill Mueller," Luke quizzed, ignoring Lorelai's side comment.

"You mean Bill Mule-er? You know, like a mule. You said Miller," Lorelai corrected.

"That's how he says his name, Lorelai. Bill Miller. Only it's spelled M-U-E…"

"I got it, I got it. Bill MILLER plays third base and he's number 11. I get him mixed up with Kevin Millar, number 15, first base slash outfield slash random player," Lorelai replied, proud of herself.

"Wow. Impressive," Luke mocked. "I think you're ready, you know the players and stuff," Luke insisted.

"Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have the window seat?" Lorelai pleaded, pouting.

Luke sighed and stood up to switch places with Lorelai.

"Thanks, Luke. For the seat, and for coming with me, and for sharing this… I know this means a lot to you, and I'll try really hard not to mock it too much," Lorelai said.

Luke shrugged. "Sure. And you can mock it if you want, but don't expect me to stop mocking your coffee consumption."

Lorelai smiled. "Deal."

Luke opened up an issue of Sports Illustrated and began reading. Lorelai stared at him and noticed he was wearing his blue cap, the staple blue cap she gave him. He needed a Red Sox hat, though. There was one in the basket, but that was really… just so not Luke. That became her new brilliant plan. She would get him to wear a Red Sox cap to the game… even if it was backwards.


	6. Clark Kent in Flannel

Lorelai and Luke got off the plane and stood at the baggage claim, waiting for their luggage. Lorelai could tell that Luke was getting impatient, and it was really amusing her.

"Oh, little suitcase! Come here, suitcase!" Lorelai called.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Lorelai, are you aware that people will think you escaped from the institution?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Hey, we're in an airport, there are some really strange people that are in airports. Besides, we'll never see these people again."

"Remind me again why they got us plane tickets for a two hour trip?" Luke asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because I won this at a DAR event, and they're all snobby rich people who can't take a two hour long drive? It's humanly impossible for them to stoop so low."

"That explains a lot of this trip. The DAR women planned it all. I'm surprised Emily didn't beg you to go on this trip with her, not with me," Luke added, grabbing his suitcase.

Lorelai turned to Luke. "Remind me again why I wouldn't take the biggest Red Sox fan I know to a big game?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't know, I just thought…"

"Luke, come on, just let loose and have a little fun, okay? Enjoy yourself and stop feeling guilty about who I could have brought. I chose you for a reason, okay?" Lorelai said.

"Why did you choose me?"

Lorelai paused, staring at Luke as if he was speaking a foreign language. She thought for a moment, trying to come up with the best reason why she invited Luke. "Ah, well, you know, because you're my friend, and you were the first person I thought of when I won this basket. That's the way it was supposed to be. The baseball gods were willing it to be true. And I thought I'd do something nice for someone who's done a lot of nice things for me," she finally said.

"I'm not the Superman you make me out to be," Luke said dryly.

"You don't have the giant "S" on your chest, but… you're like Clark Kent in flannel, let's say. Is there a superhero that doesn't flaunt his abilities? I'm really bad with comics and stuff. I just never read them, and I'm babbling. Anyway, you've been my version of Superman, or any other superhero you wish to be known as. You've done a lot for me, and you deserve a little recognition," Lorelai said with a sigh. "So thank you, Luke. And you better have some fun while we're here, and I better see a smile, because you know that you're going to have to smile eventually…"

"I promise. I'll have fun. I mean, you're going to make me have fun if I don't, anyway… and you're the only person I know who really knows how to make someone have fun. You'd think it was impossible to force someone to feel a certain way, but not for you," he said as he grabbed Lorelai's suitcase

After they found their luggage, they headed toward the hotel. As they stepped outside, Lorelai Gilmore became a whole new person. She took a deep breath of Boston air, cleared her throat, and Luke knew to brace himself.

"I wonder where they pahked our cah… the sheet said we were gonna have a cah to take us to the pahk…" she said with a Boston accent.

"Lorelai, what are you doing?" Luke hissed.

"I'm wondering where they pahked our cah. Maybe they pahked it in Hahvahd Yahd," she said, giggling.

"Lorelai, stop with the accent, no one's going to believe it, all right?"

"Aw, Luke! Come on, this is gonna be wicked awesome! You love my accent, and you know it!" Lorelai insisted.

Luke sighed. "I refuse to talk with a Boston accent. I speak the way I speak, and that's the way it was meant to be," he said. "Now we have to find the car, with an "r" attached to the end, and get to the hotel," Luke insisted, leading the way.

Lorelai giggled as she followed him. Her mind was racing with different thoughts of Luke at the Red Sox game. Would he wear a Red Sox T-shirt? Would he know "Sweet Caroline", because if he didn't, Lorelai wasted an entire four hours learning that song. Would he express interest in a particular player? Would he get mad at her if she said some choice words to Johnny Damon? As they finally found their car and were driven to the hotel, Lorelai continued to imagine what the baseball game would be like. She found herself getting excited over the next few days… even though she still hated baseball… a lot. Well, maybe not with such a passion as she did before.

When they got to the hotel room, Lorelai immediately opened up her suitcase, put all of her things in a drawer, and found the pink Red Sox jersey that came in the basket. She threw it on over her tank top, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and put on the new Red Sox hat she had gotten herself to match the jersey.

Luke came back upstairs from checking in and seemed surprised when he found Lorelai wearing Red Sox attire. "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" he asked, putting the room key on the dresser.

Lorelai nodded. "I'm now a Red Sox fan, Luke! Aren't you proud of me?"

"I'm surprised, yet I really shouldn't be," he grunted, opening his suitcase. "You fit in easily."

Lorelai smiled. "I'm the lovable Fenway chameleon," she said. "I'm going to go grab some touristy stuff from the lobby, and we can look at that to figure out what to do in between the tour and the game. You have my cell number if you need it," she chirped as she made her way outside.

Lorelai did what she said she would, and grabbed maps, brochures, and menus for Luke to say no to. It was worth a shot. She wandered around until she found a shop with Red Sox attire in it. She walked in, spotting a T-shirt Luke would love. "Yankees Suck," it read. Lorelai grabbed the T-shirt and continued to shop. At least he'd wear it under his flannel, unless Lorelai got him to wear a jersey.

Then, she saw the hat. It was THE hat, the hat that Luke was destined to wear. She grabbed that, too. She spotted a Red Sox teddy bear Rory couldn't resist, and several other miscellaneous Red Sox items for herself. She couldn't fight the urge to have a Red Sox necklace, or Red Sox pajamas… or that cute Red Sox sweatshirt.

Bags in hand, she made her way back to the hotel room. "I come bearing gifts," she declared, putting the bags on the bed next to Luke. "These are for you."

Luke turned off the television. "Lorelai, you didn't need to get me anything. I'm fine," he said.

Lorelai shook her head. "You won't be fine until you wear… this!" she said, pulling out the T-shirt.

Luke stared at the T-shirt for a moment before accepting it from Lorelai. "I know my feelings toward the New York Yankees, but I guess the shirt will allow everyone to know."

Lorelai laughed. "Yeah, and you can wear it under your flannel if you want, or if you want to get really crazy, you can make Taylor so mad when you get back by wearing it around town, see what he does."

"I'll keep that in mind," Luke teased. He watched as Lorelai sorted out all the items she bought.

"Oh, yeah, and I have one more thing for you, too. I know it's not as good as your other one, but I thought you might like something to wear around here, you know, so you feel like you're outwardly supporting your team," Lorelai said, pulling the hat out of the bag.

Lorelai watched as Luke took the hat and inspected it. "You don't have to wear it if you won't want to, I just figured you might like it. I mean, I think it would look nice on you… and… yeah, I'll stop babbling now."

Luke removed his signature blue hat and placed the Red Sox hat, backwards, on his head. It looked as if it belonged, but then again it was a little odd not seeing him with his blue hat. "A little change is good once in awhile, I guess," he said. "Thanks, Lorelai."

Lorelai smiled. "You're welcome." Her mission was accomplished. She had gotten Luke to wear the Red Sox hat, and possibly the T-shirt. Now, her next project was to get Luke to have a Fenway Frank at the game the next day.

"Is the game on?" she casually asked. She was really wondering how Luke was when he watched the game.

"Yeah, it's on. There's no score yet, though. It's only the bottom of the first inning," he replied.

Lorelai nodded. "Want me to call room service and get you a beer?" she asked.

Luke shook his head. "Nah, we'll be paying enough for beer tomorrow at the park," he replied. "But you can get something to eat if you want… and I found the coffee pot, so if you want coffee, let me know."

Lorelai moved the things she had placed next to Luke. She sat next to him on the bed and leaned her back against the wall. "So this Ortiz guy is supposed to be good, right?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, he is. We got him at a steal last year. Nobody wanted him, and everyone here was clueless as to who he was before last season. He wasn't even a starter until the Red Sox made some trades. Epstein's a great General Manager, he knows what he's doing."

Lorelai smiled. "You like Theo? He was the editor of the Yale Daily News. Smart guy," she said.

"Yeah, he's a smart guy," Luke said.

That was the first time Lorelai watched the game long enough to tell someone the score. After the game was over, she changed into her Red Sox pajamas and got under the covers. She was glad there were two beds, because it would be slightly awkward trying to figure out the sleeping situation with one. After closing her eyes and trying to sleep, Lorelai suddenly had a thought in her head.

"Luke?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Are you excited about tomorrow? I mean, you get to walk on the field, you know."

Luke paused for a moment. "It's going to be really interesting," he said.

"So you're not going to kiss the ground and do a dance or anything like that?"

"Nope. I'm not one to worship the dirt on the outfield warning track."

"Yeah, that does seem a little… odd, now that you mention it," she giggled.

"Good night, Lorelai," Luke said, turning over.

"Night, Luke," she said.

She knew Luke was looking for ward to the next day's events, but she knew Luke had no idea how excited she was.


	7. Finagle a Bagel

Lorelai woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee. It was the first time she had ever connected the phrase "Wake up and smell the coffee" to actually waking up and having the wonderful aroma floating her way. It took her a minute, but she rolled over and opened her eyes. She sat up, stretched, and waved to Luke.

"Sleep okay?" he asked.

Lorelai yawned and nodded in response. She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus despite the bright light hurting her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Eight thirty. The tour's at ten, then we have a layover until seven for the game," Luke replied. "Coffee?"

Lorelai nodded and accepted the cup of coffee. She took a sip and watched Luke as he looked through the menus to find something decent for breakfast. She stared at him, not for any particular reason other than the fact that she was too tired to say anything.

"Wow, you're quiet in the morning," Luke said.

"My brain doesn't properly function without coffee. Once the caffeine kicks in you'll want this moment back," Lorelai teased.

"All these places have pretty good stuff, so I figure we can eat breakfast around nine or so, and then take the tour, eat lunch somewhere, and head back over around five thirty for the game. That way, you can find the snacks, I can be at the park early and get the lineups, we'll watch the Yankees lose, and we can come back here," Luke said.

Lorelai squinted. "How long have you been up again?"

"Since six. But that's later than normal. And I didn't want to wake you up for fear of drawing blood," he replied.

"You're wearing the hat," she said, pointing to Luke's new Red Sox hat.

"Yeah, I figured I'd wear it for today. Maybe after that, too, you never know," Luke said.

Lorelai got out from under the covers. "I'm going to get dressed and then we can eat," she said, sipping her coffee. "Slowly, but surely, I'll get there."

"That's why I woke you up a little early. I figured it would take you awhile to clear the cobwebs."

Lorelai got dressed and ready for the day ahead. After eating breakfast, Luke led the way to Fenway Park. Lorelai was amazed at how well Luke knew his way around. She tried to imagine Luke as a boy, in awe of the experiences of going to games with his dad. As they waited for their tour guide in the souvenir store across the street from Fenway, Lorelai looked around at all the memorabilia.

"They sure have a lot of stuff here," Lorelai said. "I like the giant cardboard cutout over there. He'd make a nice date for the next wedding I have to go to, or a function my parents make me go to, and I don't have a date…"

"Your parents force you to go to functions with someone? You can't go alone?" Luke asked.

Lorelai shook her head. She almost regretted bringing up her sorry love life to Luke. He knew already how bad it was, but he didn't need to hear about it while he was supposed to be having fun.

"Alone? Nah. Going alone is the deadliest social sin of all, and of course that reflects badly on Emily and Richard. And I've always wanted to bring someone I could pretend was my fiance, or something. Everyone would congratulate me, and tell us how cute of a couple we were, and then they'd send me a wedding present. But the thing is, my parents are there, so I can't fake it very well."

"If you ever need a fake fiance, I'll do it for you," Luke offered.

Lorelai whipped her head around. She blinked and stepped back. "This isn't pod Luke, is it?" she asked.

"No, I'm being serious. I'd hate for you to have a bad time at a party you're being forced to go to all alone. I'm not that bad of an actor," he said.

"I'll call you," Lorelai said.

Lorelai was taken aback by Luke's sweet, yet surprising suggestion. She almost didn't know what to say in return. "Thank you" didn't seem appropriate, but she really didn't know what was appropriate. She ran events through her head, trying to figure out the next time Emily and Richard wouldn't be attending a social gathering she was required to go to. She finally came across an event, and thought about bringing it up to Luke, but the tour was moving and Lorelai had missed the entire introduction.

"What did I miss?" Lorelai asked.

"Nothing. I'll fill you in on everything that's important. You don't need to know half the stuff they tell you. I'll condense it for you, so you can comprehend it, and appreciate it," Luke insisted.

Lorelai was glad she wore her flats on the tour, there was a lot of walking to be done. Fenway looked so much larger in real life than it did on TV. She stared at the grounds crew, preparing the field for use later in the day.

She looked up at the various scoreboards, checking to see if there was anything important flashing on it. She read that Bronson Arroyo would be the starter for the Red Sox that night.

"If Arroyo starts, do we have a chance to win?" Lorelai asked Luke. "I want to see them kick some Yankee butt."

"We have a chance with whoever goes out there," Luke insisted. "This club has a chance to go all the way."

Lorelai stared up at an enormous yellow foul pole next to her. "What's the pole for?" she asked.

"That's Pesky's pole. See, there's a guy who used to play for the Red Sox, his name is Johnny Pesky. He's in his eighties now, and he sits on the bench and gives the players advice and stuff. Anyway, he used to hit home runs down here all the time. That's why it's Pesky's Pole," Luke said.

"Why did everyone write on it?" Lorelai asked.

"Because some people are more concerned with making their mark than letting something make a mark on them," Luke ranted. "They just can't sit back and enjoy the history you get here. I mean, I come in here, it's my first time on the field, and I'm just letting it soak in. I don't need to write my name on a pole to make my visit worthwhile. Some really great players have walked these grounds, and it almost seems surreal, in a way, that I'm walking where they walked."

"Should I bow, or kiss the ground? Is there any chant I should repeat?"

Lorelai was almost sorry she asked. She brushed her hand against the padded right field wall as she followed the tour. "What are all those numbers for?" she pointed to the numbers on the wall.

"Those are retired numbers. That means that no one can ever wear that number if they play for this team. See how number 9 is up there? That was Ted Williams' number. He hit .406 one season. That's how good he was," Luke explained.

"You saw these guys play?" Lorelai asked.

Luke shook his head. "They were before my time. But growing up watching baseball and reading my dad's old newspaper clippings... and borrowing baseball books from the library... I learned a lot. There are some things you just learn when you become a Red Sox fan. You didn't necessarily have to experience something to know how it was. I feel 86 years of pain and torture, and I haven't been alive that long, you know?"

Lorelai was intrigued by what Luke said. She listened intently as he explained the Impossible Dream season, the red seat, and Bill Buckner's error that caused every Red Sox fan to harbor an extreme hatred toward him. She now knew about Carlton Fisk, and Luis Tiant, and Dennis Eckersley… even though she wasn't sure she'd remember them an hour later. Lorelai was aware of the Red Sox debacle at Yankee Stadium the previous year, with Aaron Boone's home run.

She now felt like she was a part of an exclusive club. She felt like she got to know Luke a little better through his explanations of Red Sox history.

"Well, I don't know if I've ever told you this, Luke, but I am amazed at how much you know about this team. It's Rory-ish, only Rory knows a lot about… books," Lorelai said. "You're probably the smartest Red Sox fan out there."

Luke shook his head. "I'm just a spectator. It's something I enjoy. I don't spend hours studying statistics, or anything like that."

Lorelai thought about how this experience was for her compared to Luke. She took a deep breath and smelled hot dogs and freshly cut grass. She heard people mumbling and shouting directions of where to put the bags of drying agent to prevent slipping from the rain the night before. All of those experiences must have been so much more meaningful for Luke. He probably remembered where he sat when he caught the home run ball.

The tour was over, and the two wandered around Boston, searching for a place to eat. They passed restaurant after restaurant, unable to agree on a place to eat. Finally, Lorelai stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted something.

"Ooh! Finagle-A-bagel! That is the coolest name for a restaurant. I have to take a picture of this for Rory," Lorelai said. "And then we can eat here. I'm sure you can Finagle a salad, too," Lorelai suggested as she took a picture.

"Will you pose next to the Finagle a Bagel sign? Please, Luke?" Lorelai begged.

Luke headed for the door. "I'm hungry," he said. "Can we please get something to eat?"

Lorelai sighed and put away her camera. "But you have to promise me you'll pose by the Finagle a Bagel sign for Rory after," she insisted.

He pulled the door open and allowed her to go in first, rolling his eyes at the thought of posing by a rhyming sign. Lorelai laughed, knowing he would have to consent to many other amusing moments throughout the day.


	8. Bench Clearing Brawl

A few hours later, Lorelai and Luke made their way into Fenway Park. Luke found their seats easily, and it seemed like he knew Fenway Park like he knew Stars Hollow. He sat down and pulled out a notebook, peaking Lorelai's curiosity.

"What's that?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm scoring the game. See, you put each player's name in a box. Then there's another box to score how he got out or got a hit... It's just a more complicated way of keeping score," Luke explained, knowing that Lorelai wasn't going to understand a word he said.

Lorelai nodded, and took a look around. When she saw a scoreboard, she gave Luke a confused expression as she looked over his shoulder. "You have a scoreboard, and it's right there. See it, next to the Boston Globe sign?" Lorelai pointed out.

"Yeah, I see it, but this is how I concentrate on the game, it keeps me focused. I've done this at every game I've been to," Luke said, writing down the pitchers' names in the proper places.

Lorelai stopped questioning Luke's game attendance methods. She knew he wasn't going to change his routine just for one day. He probably learned how to score the game from his dad. Lorelai watched the grounds crew, hard at work to prepare the field for play, when her stomach began making noise.

"Hey, Luke, do you want a beer?" she asked. "I'm going to get some food. I need ice cream, and a Fenway Frank, and a pretzel, and of course, I'm getting peanuts and cracker jacks, because if there's a song about them, that must mean they're pretty amazing."

"I'll take some peanuts and a beer, just don't get lost," Luke said without looking up from his writing.

Lorelai gave Luke a mock salute and was on her way to find all of the food she needed. She decided that she'd resort to taking more than one trip, because she couldn't possibly carry the extra food she had added to her mental list on the way to the concession stands. She waited patiently in line, well, as patiently as possible with the scent of hot dogs floating through the air. She began debating what to choose, and couldn't decide until it was her turn to order.

She looked at the man behind the cash register and jumped. "KIRK?" she asked, shocked.

Kirk nodded. "Lorelai, what a surprise. I didn't think you'd be present at such an establishment. I was under the impression that you hated sports."

Lorelai sighed. "Yeah, I do. What the heck are you doing here?"

"Well, see, Lulu has a cousin who's high up in the ownership here. Apparently he's a business mogul of some sort. Anyway, mother allowed me to come up here for a few weeks, as long as I got a part time job to cover my expenses. Lulu's cousin hooked me up," Kirk explained.

"Ah. That's… nice. Get me two Fenway Franks, some fries, and two beers?" she asked.

"I'll have to see your ID," Kirk declared firmly.

Lorelai folded her hands and groaned. "Kirk, you know me. I'm definitely over 21. My daughter is just about that age. Her name's Rory, she goes to Yale... remember her?" Lorelai asked, frustrated.

"I know Rory, but I'm sorry, Lorelai, it's policy," Kirk insisted, adamant that Lorelai show him her ID.

She rolled her eyes and sighed as she fished through her wallet for her Driver's License. "Just don't show anyone the picture," she insisted, handing it to Kirk

"Thank you. That will be twenty-six dollars," Kirk said, returning the license and trying to hold back from laughing.

"Twenty-six bucks? That's insane! Who are we paying with this?" Lorelai counted out the bills and handed Kirk the cash.

"Enjoy the game." Kirk placed the beers on a tray and handed them to Lorelai. "Don't spill," he cautioned.

Lorelai walked from one concession stand to another, frustrated that it wasn't all in one place. She reorganized her trays, attempting to comprehend what just happened. It was supposed to be a two day trip without seeing anyone from Stars Hollow except Luke. Now that record was broken. She gracefully maneuvered through the crowd, trying desperately not to spill anything. When she successfully made it back, the players were taking the field.

"Here's your beer, and your peanuts," Lorelai said. "And you'll never guess who I had to go through to get that for you."

"I have no idea," Luke replied.

"Kirk."

"Jeez, that guy really can't live his own life without getting into mine, can he?" Luke said, irritated.

"All right, we'll talk about it later, focus on the game, mister! S-wing, batter, batter, batter, s-wing, batter!" Lorelai shouted.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Nobody's up to bat yet," he pointed out.

Lorelai giggled. "Oh, right," she said, taking a huge bite of her Fenway Frank. "Oh, wow, Rory would love one of these. They are so… yummy, and…"

"Come on, Arroyo! Let's set them down, one-two-three, don't fall behind 'em in the first inning!" Luke coached, writing the batter's name in the box.

Lorelai swallowed her hot dog. "Ah, Luke? I don't think he can hear you, you'll have to be a little louder than that. And besides, there are thirty thousand other people shouting the same thing you're practically mumbling."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Lorelai, you can't sit silently at a baseball game. You have to voice some sort of encouragement to the team, or clap, or something."

"Okay. If you say so, I'll do it too. I gotcha." Lorelai looked around the park, trying to soak it all in. "Who's up?" she asked. "I want to cheer for them."

"Derek Jeter," Luke answered, marking numbers in his book.

"He any good?"

Luke sighed. "Here you go, here's a program. You can keep track of who's up and who's not that way. Say whatever you want to Jeter, as long as it's not something good."

"Oh, he's a Yankee. I forgot. Is he the one I hear everyone calling "A-rod?" Lorelai asked.

"No, that's Alex Rodriguez. Hence A-Rod. He'll come up later in the game, you'll know who he is," Luke insisted.

Lorelai ate her popcorn, watching Luke's reaction to every play. Each one was predictable, but extremely entertaining. If it was a strikeout, Luke would pump his fist a little, and mark the letter "K" in his book. If someone from the Red Sox got a hit, he'd say "Drive him in!" to whoever was up next. After a few times through the lineup, she decided it was her turn to cheer. She ensured she would be cheering to the right person, and then took a deep breath.

"Come on, Varitek! If you can catch as good as you look, we'll be in good shape," Lorelai shouted.

Luke turned to Lorelai. "You think Jason Varitek is good looking?"

Lorelai shrugged, and came up with an answer she knew would annoy Luke. "Not as good looking as Johnny Damon…" she started in a sing-songy voice.

Luke put his pencil down. "Lorelai, seriously. Johnny Damon looks like a caveman, it's actually rather disgusting if you ask me."

"Well, I guess you really didn't want to hear that he looked a little bit like you, except he's probably not as nice as you are, and I thought that the rugged look was actually quite attractive," Lorelai said, pouting as she turned to watch the game.

Luke looked at Lorelai, confused, and went back to his scoring. "That was the most random thing I've ever heard, and he doesn't look a thing like me. There's A-rod," Luke said, pointing out the man the entire crowd began to jeer at.

"You can't let it go, can you? You're surprised I gave you a compliment, and you were caught off guard!" she giggled.

"I believe we changed the subject to Alex Rodriguez. Watch the game," Luke said.

Lorelai sighed in satisfaction as she watched the events on the field. "Wow, he totally karate kicks his leg, doesn't he?" she asked, referring to Bronson Arroyo. "That's a high kick… Miss Patty would have recruited him a long time ago for his flexibility and balance."

When Luke didn't answer her, Lorelai turned to the field to see what all the commotion was about. Jason Varitek, the catcher she had just cheered for, had Alex Rodriguez in a headlock, and the benches were clearing. She watched as Luke and the other Red Sox fans shouted and cheered.

"Hit him, Jason!" Lorelai shouted. "Yeah, that's it, throw him down, you got him now! I like this game," she said to Luke.

Luke turned to her as the scuffle died down. "That's a rare occurrence... well, it's not rare that there's a rivalry and some drama going on at a Sox-Yankees game... It's not every day that you get to see a bench clearing brawl between the Red Sox and the Yankees in person, especially a brawl when Jason Varitek shoves his mitt in A-Rod's face. Jason's usually a really good sport."

Lorelai smiled. "So I was here for history, huh? Taylor's going to be so jealous! I'm going to add to the historical nature of this day, and celebrate with cotton candy. More beer?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll take another," Luke said, adjusting his scoring sheet to fit the new players entering the game in place of those ejected from the brawl.

Lorelai wandered off to get cotton candy, thinking about the exchange she had with Luke over Johnny Damon. She didn't realize how open she was about her secret taste in men. She shook it off, though, embarrassing as it was, hoping that Luke didn't think anything of it. She was beginning to believe that Rory would be five dollars richer at the end of the vacation if she didn't keep her mouth shut.


	9. Sweet Caroline

**A/N: Giving credit where credit is due to Neil Diamond for singing the song that inspired me to write this story. The song is "Sweet Caroline". I don't own it. I don't even have the CD, I bought the song off of iTunes. That's all I own. I'm sure the Red Sox media people have a copy of the CD, because they play the song in the middle of the eighth inning every home game... on with the story!**

Lorelai returned with the cotton candy (pink and blue, because she couln't decide between the two) and the beer. She sat down again, watching the game and attempting to figure out what had gone on since she left. She returned to find that the score was the same, and not much had happened because of the aftermath of the brawl. Lorelai slipped her Red Sox sweatshirt onto her arms and began thinking about Luke. She hoped he was having a good time. Then her mind started to wander and her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Luke?" she asked suddenly.

Luke looked at her. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Who's your favorite player?"

"Ever? Or just right now?"

"How about both?" she asked, stuffing a piece of cotton candy into her mouth and licking her fingers.

Luke shrugged. "Now, I think it's probably Schilling. He's a good pitcher, a workhorse kind of guy that will give you innings and has some really nasty stuff. Ever? I'd have to say Yaz. He was my dad's favorite."

Lorelai nodded. "Hey! It's the seventh inning stretch after this, right?" she asked.

"Unfortunately," Luke mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Yeah, it's after the next out," Luke said.

"How about Sweet Caroline? When does Sweet Caroline come up?"

"Middle of the eighth," Luke started, but was interrupted by the organ.

Lorelai jumped up from her seat, not needing to stretch at all, and began singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" extremely loudly. She held up her peanuts and cracker jacks at the proper time, and held the notes for much longer than the rest of the crowd. She tried to get Luke in on the action by poking his arm, but Luke stood still, ignoring her efforts. Lorelai was having a great time.

"You know, I think Rory would appreciate my commentary on that song," Lorelai said as everyone took their seats again. "It's quite amusing, I'll tell you after the game. It's almost as good as a bit."

As the Red Sox fell further and further behind in the game, Lorelai began to lose focus. Her mind was wandering to Luke and what he was thinking of all of this. She was upset that the Red Sox weren't doing well, and she didn't want Luke to see a game when they lost. That would be really upsetting. As the eighth inning approached, she found herself thinking about the words to "Sweet Caroline" once again.

Rory had a guy in her class that was from Boston, and knew exactly what to chant in the chorus, and when to do it. Rory was kind enough to ask him for some tips on Lorelai's behalf. Neil Diamond's voice got annoying after awhile, but Lorelai insisted on learning two songs for the trip. One was "Sweet Caroline" and the other was "Dirty Water". If nothing else, she wanted to look like she knew the songs, even if she didn't. Something told her that Luke would somehow be impressed with the fact that she knew those songs, and she was hoping Luke would appreciate the effort.

The top of the eighth was over and Lorelai nudged Luke once more. "Aw, it's Sweet Caroline," Lorelai said. "I love this song!"

Luke stood up with the rest of the crowd. "You love this song? How do you even know this song?"

Lorelai giggled. "It's a good song, Rory and I enjoy it very much. We found the words on Google. We also frequently sing it at Friday Night Dinner to annoy my mother."

Luke watched as Lorelai stood ready to sing along with the words.

_Where it began,_

_I can't begin to knowin',_

_But then I know it's growin' strong._

Lorelai swayed and sang along with the music, smiling at Luke the whole time. Luke stared at Lorelai, shaking his head and trying not to laugh as she over-sang every word. Her gestures as well as her facial expressions were so overdone, but the entire act was so Lorelai.

_Was in the spring,_

_And spring became the summer,_

_Who'd have believed you'd come along._

The more Lorelai sang the words, at home and at Fenway, the more she thought about Luke. The song seemed so cheesy, yet so fitting to a friendship that Lorelai had finally decided wasn't just a friendship. The next part of the song caused Lorelai to be impulsive, more so than usual.

_Hands touching hands_

_Reaching out_

_Touching me_

_Touching you…_

The lines were so corny, and she and Rory linked hands dramatically during her many times practicing. But something possessed her to grab Luke's hand at that moment. She was embarrassed, yet again, but hid it quite well. She just hoped he didn't take his hand out of hers. And he didn't. He instead took her hand and rubbed it gently, and he didn't need to say a word in order for Lorelai to know he wasn't going to get upset about the hand holding. All it took was the look he gave her when he comprehended what had just happened, and Lorelai was convinced he liked her, too.

_Sweet Caroline,_

_Good times never seemed so good,_

_I've been inclined_

_To believe they never would…_

Lorelai shouted "Oh, oh oh," after the first line, and "So good! So good! So good!" after the next, just like anyone who had been to Fenway Park a dozen times would have done. She looked up at Luke, who smiled back at her, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

_But… now… I…_

_Look at the night,_

_And it don't seem so lonely,_

_We fill it up with only two,_

_And when I hurt,_

_Hurtin' runs off my shoulders,_

_How can I hurt when holding you?_

Lorelai swore Luke must have known the song, too, because he pulled her in at just the right moment. It was ironic, sweet, and silly, all at the same time. It was almost like something that would happen in one of the stupid movies she loved so much, but this time, it was happening to her… and it wasn't so stupid to feel so in love after all.

Lorelai leaned her head against Luke's chest, so happy to finally have everything out in the open. She could tell Luke felt the same way. As the chorus played again, and Lorelai chanted again, she somehow knew "Sweet Caroline" was going to be her new favorite song.

The bottom of the eighth inning came and went, and so did the top of the ninth. Everything was happening so fast after "Sweet Caroline"… and Lorelai definitely didn't see what was coming next.

Before she knew it, she was standing, chanting "Let's Go, Red Sox!" with the rest of the Fenway Faithful, and all of a sudden, a home run ball cleared the bullpen. Lorelai stood for a moment, shocked at what had just occurred. Bill Mueller's walk off home run (against the best closer in baseball) had secured a comeback victory for the Red Sox. Luke must have been really, really happy… because he leaned in and kissed Lorelai.

The walk back to the hotel was a long one. Lorelai sang "Dirty Water" about six times to make up for not singing it at the end of the game, and sang "Sweet Caroline" again just for kicks. Lorelai zipped up her Red Sox sweatshirt and looked up at Luke.

"You don't care that I held your hand, do you?" she asked.

Luke shook his head. "If you don't care that I kissed you. I mean, if you don't want to…"

Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand once again. "I like things post-eighth inning," she said with a smile.


	10. The Comeback

**A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I know I haven't updated this or a lot of my other stories in… a very, very long time. But, when life and writer's block come together, they're a pretty powerful anti-fiction force. I've been getting a lot of reviews on this story, wondering when it was coming back. Here you go, I hope it was worth the wait.**

As the baseball season began to wind down, the Red Sox did just the opposite. They clinched the wild card, and swept Anaheim in three games, the last one being a nailbiter. However, lately, the Red Sox were running out of luck. On the morning of game four of the American League Championship Series against the hated Yankees, Lorelai walked downstairs to find Luke wearing his blue baseball cap instead of the Red Sox cap he had been wearing since the Red Sox won the last game against the Angels. She rubbed her eyes, ensuring that her blurry morning vision wasn't the reason for the change, and headed for the coffeepot.

"Why aren't you wearing the Red Sox cap?" she asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Luke put Lorelai's breakfast on a plate and placed it on the table. He shrugged. "Change of karma," he offered.

Lorelai nearly spit out her coffee when she heard him utter that phrase. Luke? Karma? He wasn't ever a superstitious baseball fan before, why was he starting now? "What?" she asked.

"The Red Sox are down three games to none to the Yankees," Luke replied.

"He says like I should just KNOW the significance of that," Lorelai finished.

Luke rolled his eyes. "In a best of seven series, that's not good. They have to win four in a row against the Yankees in order to win the series. It's never been done before. In sports history."

"So very pessimistic!" Lorelai gasped, taking a bite of her pancakes.

"I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic," Luke insisted.

Lorelai got up from the table and ran into the bedroom. She grabbed the Red Sox cap that was sitting on the dresser and promptly placed it on her head. "If you're not wearing it, then I will. They're going to win the series, and then they'll win every other game they have to win, and I will be right, and you, mister, will be hearing it. I won't take this hat off until they win the Superbowl!"

"First, it's the World Series, and second, you're insane. You think it's going to happen?" Luke asked.

Lorelai's eyes widened. "Sure, why wouldn't it?"

"You believe whatever you want to believe. That's fine with me. We'll see who's right," Luke insisted.

Lorelai smiled. She was determined to wear the Red Sox cap that she had bought for Luke, since Luke seemed to have abandoned it. She was convinced that it would bring the Red Sox luck. Lorelai vowed to wear the cap, matching it with every outfit she possibly could.

Needless to say, when she walked into the inn, Sookie and Michel were confused as to why she was suddenly interested in the welfare of the Boston Red Sox.

"You look like one of the women in that insipid movie starring Tom Hanks," Michel offered.

Lorelai grinned. "Well, Madonna was in that movie, so I'm not complaining. You like the hat?"

"I do," Sookie started, "But I'm just curious as to why you're wearing it. I mean, I know Luke likes the Red Sox, but… why are _you_ wearing the cap?"

Lorelai walked behind the desk. "It's simple enough. It's going to bring them luck. I am making a sacrifice for the team. I am risking a serious case of hat hair, you know. Luke abandoned the hat, and I bet him that the hat would make the Red Sox win, even if they're so oppressed like he makes it out to be."

Sookie nodded. "So what do you get if you're right? What did you bet?"

"Well," Lorelai cleared her throat, "We didn't really… bet, I just, uh, told him that I'd be right, and he was set in his ways, so I suppose that means bragging rights?"

"Why, because you are too scared that your team will lose and you would prefer that your mountain man boyfriend tell you that you were wrong, rather than paying him a large sum of money?" Michel added.

Lorelai glared at Michel. "No, because I just want to be right. I want one of those magnets that has the two rules on it, one that I'm right, and that if I'm wrong, we go back to the first rule. I want Luke to say I'm right… it's an obsession of sorts now."

Sookie giggled. "Well, imagine if you are right. Luke would probably be too excited about how good it was that they won, and he probably wouldn't be worrying about who was right."

"Oh, don't worry, he won't hear the end of it without some sort of concession that I'm right," Lorelai insisted.

Lorelai wore the cap for the next four games. She watched bits and pieces of the games with Luke, taking in the Dave Roberts stolen base and A-rod's slap of Bronson Arroyo's arm in Game Six. They debated the validity of Curt Schilling's bloody sock that brought them even closer to victory. She danced around the couch when Johnny Damon hit the Grand Slam in Game Seven. The way things were going, Lorelai was beginning to believe that bragging rights were hers.

After watching the Red Sox come back from a 3-0 deficit to win four in a row against the Yankees, Lorelai still wasn't necessarily thinking about anything but winning the argument. Luke was pleasantly surprised that the Red Sox were able to accomplish what hadn't been done in the history of baseball, but being a Red Sox fan, he realized that they could still blow the lead at any time. The Red Sox were perfectly capable of disaster as they were of victory.

The disaster part seemed to be fading away. The Red Sox took the first three games from the Saint Louis Cardinals without major difficulty. As Luke and Lorelai sat down to take in Game Four, and Johnny Damon hit a lead off home run to begin the game, Lorelai poked Luke. He turned to look at her, and she pointed to the hat and raised her eyebrows.

"It's the hat," she said as Luke rolled his eyes.

Luke shrugged. "Sure it is," he said, not wanting to argue that the hat bringing the Red Sox luck defied all logic.

As Edgar Renteria, the last hope for the Saint Louis Cardinals, came up to the plate, Luke sat up straight on the couch. Lorelai did the same, staring at Luke. He turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked.

Lorelai smiled. "Just wanting to see your reaction when I win," she said, pointing to the hat once again.

"Hey, you're not the only one winning, you know. Every Red Sox fan… ever, and the team is also winning. Potentially," Luke added, watching as Keith Foulke's first pitch to Edgar Renteria was called a ball.

"Afraid to jinx it?" Lorelai inquired, "You said 'potentially,' and that's usually not a completely positive word. Are you having doubts in your team that you've followed since you understood baseball?"

Luke simply ignored her as Edgar Renteria's ground ball reached Foulke, then Doug Mientkiewicz at first base. The last out was made, the Red Sox were champions, and Lorelai was right. "The Red Sox won," he said, almost in disbelief.

"I won! I mean, they won!" Lorelai said, jumping up and down. "We won! Luke!" She leaned in to kiss him. "Why aren't you more excited about this?"

Luke stood up. "I'm thrilled. I'm just… in shock. This is… amazing!"

"What's even more amazing is that I wore this hat through their victory, I, too, earned a victory. So are you going to give me my bragging rights?" Lorelai questioned.

He smiled. "How about a lovely parting gift?" he asked, carrying her up the stairs.

"I could handle that," Lorelai said, tossing the baseball cap over the railing.


	11. Epilogue

It may not have been Lorelai's curse-breaking methods that helped the Red Sox to eight victories in a row and a World Series Trophy, but she always liked to think she had a little part in something special.

When their daughter was born on July 27, exactly nine months from that fateful night in October, Luke and Lorelai decided that the only name fitting enough to give her was Caroline. And now, five years had passed, and Lorelai sat in Fenway Park with Luke and Caroline, attending Caroline's first game for her fifth birthday. The seats weren't as good, but Lorelai was having much more fun for some reason.

"Want another piece of cotton candy?" Lorelai asked.

Caroline nodded. "Pink and blue mushed together, please!"

Lorelai took a pink chunk and a blue chunk, and twisted them together to make a pretty cotton candy ball for Caroline to eat. "Who's up?" Lorelai asked Luke, handing Caroline the cotton candy.

"Ortiz," Luke said.

"I like him," Caroline said with a mouthful of cotton candy. "He hits the ball really far." She tilted her head to try and see her favorite player hit.

Luke pulled Caroline onto his lap and twisted in his seat so Caroline had the perfect view. She watched his home run ball go over the Green Monster and cheered and clapped for her favorite player.

The Red Sox were five runs ahead by the time the middle of the eighth inning rolled around, so Lorelai was listening to Caroline's never ending story when the song that started it all began to play.

"This is your song," Lorelai said, gently tugging on Caroline's curly brown ponytail.

Caroline adjusted her Red Sox hat. "Really?" she asked, intrigued by the fact that there was a song that had her name in it. She had been hearing about the song for the longest time, and she finally got to hear it.

"Yeah, listen, it's coming up!" Lorelai said, picking Caroline up.

Caroline listened intently until she heard her name. "He said my name! Isn't that cool, Daddy?" she asked, looking over at Luke.

The game ended with a 10 run win for the Red Sox, and Caroline fast asleep in Luke's arms. As they walked back to the hotel, Lorelai turned to face Luke.

"So do you think she liked her first game?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, she seemed to. She's still a little young to get all of it, but she wasn't an obnoxious brat like the people behind us. I'll bet that kid has jam hands all the time."

Lorelai smiled. "Random question. How come they call it 'That Dirty Water?' I mean, come on, it's not even dirty anymore, Rory did the research..."

Luke listened to Lorelai rant and smiled at the fact that the Red Sox somehow meant as much to his family as they did to him.

_The End_


End file.
